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Indoor Tradescantia Care (Spiderwort Wandering Jew Plant)

Tradescantia Spiderwort is an easy-to-care-for vining house plant that grows vibrant leaves and dainty, spider-like flowers, making it a charming addition to your indoor garden.

To ensure optimal growth, place your Tradescantia in bright, indirect light, plant in a well-draining potting soil, keep it consistently moist but not soggy, and maintain high humidity.

In this plant care guide, I will share my experience growing Spiderwort plants indoors. Keep reading for easy-to-follow tips on watering, light, humidity, propagation, and more.

Close up of isolated Spiderwort Tradescantia vine with purple silver striped leaves.

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Indoor Spiderwort Plant Care

Scientific name: Tradescantia. Common names: Wandering Jew, Wandering Dude, Spiderwort, Inch plant.

Tradescantias spiderwort plants are native to the Americas, primarily found in various regions of North and South America.

They like bright, indirect light, moist soil, and high humidity. If you can give your plant the right care, it might start flowering and grow small pink or purple flowers that last just one day.

Pink variegated Tradescantia fluminensis Tricolor plant in green planter pot. Text on image: How to care for your indoor Tradescantia plant. mod and mint dot com.

Tradescantia Varieties

There are about 70 different Tradescantia varieties, the most common being the Tradescantia Zebrina, with green leaves and silver stripes, and the purple spiderwort, the Zebrina burgundy.

There are pink and lilac variegated tradescantias like the Tradescantia fluminensis tricolor, Tradescantia bubblegum, and Tradescantia Nanouk.

Hand holding large variegated tradescantia leaves to show size.
Large Tradescantia Nanouk leaves.

Tradescantia Wandering Jew Plant Name

Although there are multiple common names for the tradescantia plant, for a long time the most commonly used name was the Wandering Jew plant. It is still being used by a portion of people but for a growing group of people, this name raises a few eyebrows.

Why is the Tradescantia commonly called a Wandering Jew? There are a few different stories that go around.

Some say that the Tradescantia got its common name Wandering Jew, because of the wandering way it grows. It spreads quickly, with sections of stem all growing in slightly varying directions, wandering about.

Others say it was because propagated cuttings of the plant were passed on to friends and family like wanderers traveling the world.

But this just explains the Wandering part. The Tradescantia could have just been called the Wandering Plant. Why the Jew part?

I wasn’t there when the name was first used, but the explanation most often heard is that of an old Christian myth about a Jew who was said to have had a bad attitude right before the crucifixion, mocking Jesus. It is said that Jesus responded by condemning him to wander the earth until the second coming.

In recent years the name Wandering Jew is used less frequently. People use the alternative Wandering Dude, or Spiderwort. The official name Tradescantia is also being used more and more.

Large hanging Tradescantia zebrina plant. modandmint.com.
Large hanging Tradescantia Zebrina

Tradescantia Light Requirements

Tradescantia Spiderwort plants grow best in bright, indirect light. You want to provide your plant with enough light to keep its color and maybe even flower.

Avoid too much direct sunlight. This can scorch the delicate leaves, leaving dry brown spots that won’t heal. Move your plant away from the window, or filter the light with a sheer curtain.    

The ideal location is an east or west-facing window. This gives your plant enough light in the morning or late afternoon, and plenty of bright indirect light the rest of the day.

If the light is too dim, growth will slow down, leaves stay smaller and maybe lose variegation (if they had any). Vines may also grow leggy with more space between the leaves reaching for the light.  

Pinch off the leggy stems and move your plant somewhere with more light.

Consider getting a plant grow light if your home doesn’t receive enough natural light.   

Large pink and green hanging indoor Spiderwort Tradescantia plant.

Watering

Indoors, water your Spiderwort regularly to keep the soil slightly moist. The soil should feel like a wrung-out sponge.    

Check the soil frequently. When the soil feels moist, wait for one to two days and check again. If the soil is dry, go ahead and water generously, to saturate the soil. Allow any excess water to drain out of the bottom of the pot. Then allow the top layer of soil to dry out before watering again. 

Overwatering is the most common problem in Spiderwort plant care. To prevent overwatering, don’t water your plant too often.

If you are uncertain, you can use a moisture meter to help you with when to water.  

Overwatering can lead to yellow leaves and root rot, while underwatering can cause the leaves to droop, wilt, turn brown, and dry out. Leaves should feel firm, not limp. 

Read more: Discover the right way to water your indoor plants.

Large Tradescantia Nanouk plant photographed from above showing all the pink and green leaves.

High Humidity

Spiderwort plants like warm temperatures and moderate to high humidity. 

Brown, crispy leaf tips are often a sign that your plant needs more humidity, a common problem for Spiderwort plants.  

The best way to raise the humidity is to place a small humidifier near your plant. For even more humidity, grow your tradescantia in a closed terrarium

Soil and Repotting

Tradescantia Nanouk without a pot showing soil and healthy roots.

Repot your Spiderwort every two to three years in spring when the plant is actively growing. The soil will have lost its nutrients and will need to be replaced with fresh well-draining potting soil.  

Repot in a pot one size up if the plant has outgrown its original pot. Roots will have filled the pot or grow from the bottom of the pot. 

Proper drainage is essential for Tradescantia plants, as they are susceptible to root rot if the soil stays consistently soggy. Make sure the new pot has drainage holes and that excess water can escape. If it doesn’t, use the pot as an outer cache pot and place a planter with drainage inside it. 

Read more: Step-by-step guide on how to repot your house plants. 

Close up photo of dark purple and silvery green leaves of a large Tradescantia plant. Text on image: How to care for your Tradescantia. mod and mint.com.
Tradescantia Zebrina.

Pruning Spiderwort

Pruning your indoor Spiderwort plants should be part of the regular care routine. It helps maintain the shape, encourages bushier growth, and prevents leggy or overcrowded growth.

To encourage bushier growth and prevent legginess, pinch back the tips of the stems. Simply use your fingers or pruners to snip off the tips of the stems just above a leaf node (the area where leaves are attached). This prompts the plant to produce new side shoots.

The best time to prune is during the active growing season in spring through summer or right after it has bloomed. 

Don’t prune too excessively at once, as Spiderwort plants recover better from gradual and moderate pruning. 

Tradescantia cutting growing roots propagating in water. Text on picture: How to propagate your Tradescantia. Mod and mint dot com.
Variegated tradescantia cuttings propagating in water.

Spiderwort Propagation

The easiest way to propagate a Spiderwort Tradescantia is by taking stem cuttings and rooting them in water or soil.   

Simply take cuttings with a few leaves and remove the leaves from the lower part of the cuttings.  

  • To water propagate the cuttings, place them in water and in bright, indirect light. Change the water regularly and transplant to soil when roots have grown to about 1 – 2 inches.  
  • To propagate in soil, plant the cuttings in a small pot with well-draining soil. Keep in bright, indirect light. Mist or water very sparingly until you see new growth.  

To speed up the propagation process, you can apply a rooting hormone powder to the cutting before planting it. This powder stimulates the formation of roots and results in stronger, better-rooted plants.

Pink Tradescantia zebrina propagating in water.

Read more: 6 ways to propagate your favorite house plants. 

Variegated Tradescantia Care

Variegated Tradescantia wandering jew plant loosing pink color with green leaves taking over.
Green Tradescantia leaves taking over, crowding out the pink variegated leaves.

Variegated variations like the Tradescantia Zebrina, Tricolor, or Nanouk can lose their pink or lilac variegation and turn solid green for different reasons.

Pink coloration often fades when the plant grows in insufficient light. It can also happen when it is too hot or too cold for the plant to grow its variegated leaves.

When the plant does not have the right conditions, it will revert to growing solid green leaves because it is trying to save its energy. Growing those beautiful variegated patterns costs a lot of energy it just doesn’t have.

When you see the variegated leaves start turning a solid green, get pruning! Green leaves grow faster than variegated ones, so if you do not prune them, they will take over your entire plant. When all the solid green leaves are pruned, move your plant to a spot where it gets more light.

Cat smelling the leaves of a pink Tradescantia plant in lime green planter pot. Mod and mint dot com.
Watch out, Kitty! The Spiderwort plants are mildly toxic, so don’t eat it!

Are Tradescantia Plants Toxic to Cats?

According to the ASPCA, the Spiderwort Tradescantia is considered mildly poisonous when ingested. It may cause skin irritations.

Although it is uncommon for pets to get seriously hurt from eating plants, keep this one out of reach of children and pets. 

Read more: Cats and house plants.

Jessica101

Saturday 23rd of July 2022

It would help to know if they prefer to be kept in a small pot, or need a roomy pot with 50%+ spare soil for growth.

Dee

Sunday 13th of February 2022

Hi, thanks for your article. It’s helped me with caring for my tradescantia tricolour. Recently I’ve noticed the pink/cream leaves and the whites on the variegated leaves have started turning yellow-green and I’m not sure why. I’m in Australia, it’s currently summer here and I’ve left my plant next to a west facing window, bright and indirect sunlight. I water only when soil is a bit drier.

I’ve had this plant for a good 2-3 months now and it used to have more pink leaves but not as much now 😢My guess is perhaps the tap water im using to water my plants. I’ve also noticed the whites on my spider plant leaves are also getting a yellow hue. Maybe they are related. Any ideas?

R

Tuesday 1st of February 2022

We call our tradescantia, wandering dude!

Kimberly

Tuesday 4th of January 2022

I love the Tradescantias have several. I love your article. Many things I didn’t know. I have the tri color and the multi color Discolor. I know they say too remove the green stems. But I actually think it makes the plant what it is. Green is still beautiful with the pinks. Just wondering if you don’t remove the green will it take over and you won’t get any more pink? Or can I just leave it alone and love it as it is?

Mod and Mint

Wednesday 9th of February 2022

Hi Kimberly, happy my article was helpful to you! How are your tradescantias doing now? Did you remove the green parts, or did you decide to leave them? Would love to hear how that went. My experience is that the green leaves grow faster and thus overtaking the plant and pushing out the pink growth over time. That's why I advise removing at least most part of the green growth. You could leave a few, I agree that all the different colors make these plants extra pretty. Just keep a close eye on it so the green doesn't completely take over the plant. If the pink is gone, it usually doesn't return. Unfortunately... Good luck!

Becky

Monday 18th of October 2021

I propagated some cutting from my lavender tradescantia. The mother plant has large leaves, however the propagated cuttings are growing much smaller leaves. Why is that?